Burlesque Club, Van Nuys

This burlesque club on Sherman Way promotes "GIRLS GIRLS GIRLS" on the sign above the entrance. It's in a seedy part of town, but Van Nuys is located in the heart of the San Fernando Valley, aka "San Pornando Valley" - an area known for its thriving pornography industry.

Sports Wall, Northridge

These wall murals on the campus of Cal State University Northridge depict many of the sports that are played at this college. Located in the San Fernando Valley, the school covers 356 acres of Northridge and has a community of 34,000 students.

Beautiful Day, San Marino

It was one of those picture-perfect days, with blue skies, white clouds and a cool breeze. This view is looking north along Hilliard Drive in San Marino.

Norwalk Dairy, Santa Fe Springs

The Norwalk Dairy, on Rosecrans Ave. in Santa Fe Springs, was established in 1948 and is one of the last surviving dairies in L.A. County. They produce about 5000 gallons of milk every week and sell it in this store at the front of the property.

Sunflower, North Hills

I had a photo shoot today at Sepulveda Middle School in North Hills, where students tend to a garden on the east side of the campus. This sunflower appeared to be "sunbathing" beneath the towering palm trees.

Car Show, Sierra Madre

While this car may look futuristic, it's actually a customized 1937 Ford Cabriolet, on display yesterday at the Sierra Madre Centennial Car Show.

Bell Tower, La Mirada

The bell tower at Biola University, a private Christian college in La Mirada, was built for the original Biola (Bible Institute Of Los Angeles) campus in downtown L.A. in 1914. The school was relocated to its current site in 1959. U.S. News named it one of America's Best Colleges this year.

Pigeons, East Los Angeles

A small flock of pigeons fly away after filling up on pastry crumbs just outside a donut shop on Whittier Blvd. in East Los Angeles.

Casa Bianca, Eagle Rock

Casa Bianca has been serving Italian food in Eagle Rock since 1955. Their pizza is supposed to be "worth driving across town for", but I have to admit that it doesn't live up to its reputation. Good, but not great. The place is a local favorite, though and still draws crowds at dinner time.

Parked Cars, Charter Oak

These three classic 1950s automobiles, including a DeSoto and two Chevys, are parked in the driveway of a home in Charter Oak, an unincorporated area of Covina.

Abandoned Service Station, Los Angeles

This old service station has been forsaken and fenced-in, but it still has an interesting appeal. It's located on Beverly Blvd. at the corner of Hobart Blvd. in Los Angeles.

Memorial Day, Azusa

Victor Subia, 92 years old, served in the U.S. Army during World War II in the South Pacific and as far away as Australia. After photographing him at a Memorial Day Ceremony in front of the Azusa city hall, I spoke with his wife, Eva. They've been married for 66 years and she told me that Victor is proud to be an American and he often says that this country "is worth protecting and serving."

Bahay Kubo Natin, Filipinotown

The Bahay Kubo Natin restaurant features Filipino home-style cooking, served in a cafeteria setting, in the Filipinotown district of Los Angeles.

Newsstand, Larchmont Village

Above the Fold is a newsstand in Larchmont Village, a short stretch of restaurants, cafes and shops along Larchmont Blvd. near Paramount Studios.

Patriotic, Torrance

Joe's Market, at the corner of Torrance Blvd. and Berendo Ave in Torrance, is ready for the Memorial Day weekend with a patriotic mural painted across the east side of the store.

Classic VW, Los Angeles

This cool vintage convertible Volkswagen Bug was parked on East Olympic Blvd. in Los Angeles and drew plenty of admiring glances by people passing by on the sidewalk.

Disneyland, Anaheim

Although Anaheim is in Orange County, it's been very much a part of the L.A. landscape as the home of Disneyland for over 50 years. The old submarine ride will resurface on June 11th as the new Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage and the yellow subs are currently running some test voyages in Tomorrowland Lagoon.

Dry Riverbed, Saugus

The Santa Clara River is dry and dusty as it winds through Saugus. The 100-mile-long river was on the 2005 list of America's Most Endangered Rivers.

Norton Simon Museum, Pasadena

The Norton Simon Museum is a landmark in Pasadena and is home to a world-class collection of art, including paintings, sculpture and photography. Pictured at the end of this gallery is Basel Mural I, an oil on canvas by American painter Sam Francis.

Oak Tree, Santa Clarita

The City of Santa Clarita has an ordinance in place to protect and preserve the thousands of oak trees that make up much of the natural landscape in this area. The oak pictured here is on a hillside just east of the 5 Freeway.

Parade, Monrovia

A local ROTC unit marches down Myrtle Ave. in the Monrovia Day Parade, celebrating Monrovia's 121st birthday. The City of Monrovia was established in 1886 by William N. Monroe, a Civil War army officer and railroad builder.

Magic Mountain, Valencia

The Colossus roller coaster at Six Flags Magic Mountain in Valencia is a classic dual-track wooden coaster that reaches speeds of over 60 miles per hour. Magic Mountain opened on Memorial Day weekend in 1971.

Chips Restaurant, Hawthorne

Chips Restaurant, established in Hawthorne in 1957, is a simple example of Googie architecture that was popular in that era. Chips is located at the corner of Hawthorne Blvd. and 119th St.

Student Designs, Fashion District

These student sketches and material swatches are on display at the Otis College of Art and Design's School of Fashion Design at the California Market Center. Located in the Fashion District of Los Angeles, aspiring designers are trained to succeed in a very competitive field.

Watts Towers, Watts

The Watts Towers were built by Italian immigrant Sabato "Simon" Rodia over a period of 33 years, beginning in 1921. The sculptures are located on a residential street in the Watts district of Los Angeles.

Freeway Tunnels, Elysian Park

The four Figueroa Street Tunnels cover portions of the northbound Pasadena (110) Freeway through the Elysian Park area of Los Angeles. The tunnels were built between 1931 and 1935 and helped traffic flow from L.A. to Pasadena.

Tombstone, Sierra Madre

It's Mother's Day, and despite all of the cheerful recognition of our mothers, there are still those who have most likely been forgotten in the passage of time. This tombstone at Pioneer Cemetery in Sierra Madre has no other identifying information, but it's obvious that someone's mom is buried here. So, Happy Mother's Day to all moms, both past and present.

Bowling Alley, Montrose

The Montrose Bowl is a retro style bowling alley with only eight lanes, and is available by reservation only for private parties. It's located on Honolulu Ave. in the Montrose Shopping Park area.

The Darkroom, Los Angeles

This cool storefront on Wilshire Blvd. was originally a camera shop, and is one of the last remaining examples of programmatic architecture in Los Angeles. Built in 1926 and remodeled in 1938, it is now a restaurant.

Rialto Theatre, South Pasadena

Landmark's Rialto Theatre in South Pasadena, was built in 1925 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1978. The single-screen theatre features cult favorites and an ongoing midnight screening of The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Truck, Alhambra

The varied text on the side of this truck parked on Chestnut Ave. in Alhambra is a microcosm of the area's ethnicity. But it's still all Greek to me.

Raging Fire, Griffith Park

Arson is suspected in a fire that roared through Griffith Park today. This view is from Round Top Drive in the Eagle Rock area of Los Angeles. (If you look very closely, the small black speck in the top center of the image just above the horizon is a helicopter, giving some perspective to the size of the fire.)

Mansion, Hancock Park

Hancock Park is a neighborhood of beautiful homes, like this one on Hudson Ave. Prior to the subdivision of land for residential use here in the early 1900s, oil wells dominated the local landscape.

Miracle Mile, Mid-Wilshire

The Miracle Mile is a stretch of Wilshire Blvd. between La Brea Ave. and Fairfax Ave. in the Mid-Wilshire district of Los Angeles. This view is from La Brea looking west.

Driving Range, Koreatown

A multi-level driving range at Aroma Golf Academy is a popular place for golfers to practice in Koreatown. Golf balls are fed onto the tee area by an automated system and whacked into nets suspended above the parking structure.

Farmers Market, Los Angeles

Established in Los Angeles at the corner of 3rd and Fairfax in 1934, Farmers Market now has over 100 shops, grocers and restaurants - including Bob's Coffee & Doughnuts.

National Day of Prayer, Los Angeles

On the 56th annual National Day of Prayer, an elderly woman approaches a statue of Jesus Christ following mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.

Great White Hut, Glendale

The Original Great White Hut in Glendale is a little burger & taco stand, serving lunch at the corner of California Ave. and Orange Street since 1941.

Library, Norwood Village

Norwood Village? Well, this is a first for L.A. Snapshot. Maybe I should preface this post with a quote from Rod Serling, creator of The Twilight Zone: "You're traveling through another dimension -- a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind. A journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination." While the Norwood Library is at a real location on Peck Road, the community of Norwood Village does not exist. It's an area otherwise known as North El Monte. Apparently, there was an intent to designate it as a separate district, but the plans fell through and it never happened. So, how did I find Norwood Village in the first place? In a Thomas Guide map book from the year 2000.

Big Chair, Los Angeles

This oversized chair sits at the corner of the Buena Vista Furniture store on Alhambra Rd. in Los Angeles.

Boarded House, San Gabriel

This vacant and boarded-up house on Walnut Grove Ave. in San Gabriel is nearing demolition. It's one of three houses in a row that face imminent doom because a bulldozer is ready and waiting for action next door. I can't help but feel some sadness when a home is destroyed, especially when it's obvious that children lived here. (Notice the tether ball in the yard.) I wonder what kind of memories were created here, and whether past tenants even care that the home will be gone the next time they drive by to reminisce.

Festival of Books, UCLA

The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books drew large crowds on opening day for its 12th annual event at the UCLA campus. The festival is billed as the country's largest celebration of the written word.

Manhattan Beach Pier, Manhattan Beach

This is from my archives. Ten years ago today, my little brother died. One night after visiting him in the hospital before his death, I decided to drive down to Manhattan Beach to shoot some images of the pier. It just happened to be one of those nights when the sunset colors go way beyond expectations, and this photograph captured what I believe to be God's artistry.

Hansen Dam Aquatic Ctr., Lake View Terrace

The calm before the storm. A 1.5-acre swimming lake is prepared for the upcoming busy season at the Hansen Dam Aquatic Center in Lake View Terrace. The Aquatic Center also includes an adjacent 9-acre recreation lake.

Miller Brewing Company, Irwindale

In 1855, Frederick J. Miller began brewing beer in a small Milwaukee, Wisconsin brewery. After the repeal of prohibition in 1933, the company he built officially became the Miller Brewing Company. There are now seven Miller Breweries across the United States, including this one next to the 210 Freeway in Irwindale.

Heritage Square, Los Angeles

Heritage Square is a unique museum in Los Angeles, offering glimpses into the culture and architecture of the area from 1850 to 1950. The home pictured here was originally built in 1876 by lumber baron William H. Perry in Boyle Heights. It was moved to its current museum location in 1975 and is an ongoing restoration project.

Pallets, Los Angeles

Stacks of wooden pallets are loaded onto a truck at Infinity Pallet Co. in Los Angeles.

Cherry Blossom Festival, Monterey Park

The Cherry Blossom Festival is "Monterey Park's tribute to the beauty of the Japanese culture." Held in Barnes Park, the festival includes exhibits, demonstrations and performances, plus food and games. Shown here is a short assembly line from a group called Kodama Taiko, preparing samples of mochi (rice cake).

Low Income Housing, Boyle Heights

The Wyvernwood Garden Apartments in Boyle Heights is L.A.'s largest low-income housing tract. The barrack-style structures, home to thousands of mostly poor Hispanic tenants, were the subject of a lead poison (from old lead-based paint) scandal several years ago.

Rainy Day, Pasadena

On a wet Friday in Pasadena, a woman walks between two large umbrellas while carrying a smaller version for herself in the courtyard of Paseo Colorado.